DEFIANCE, OHIO -- Defiance College relied on 14 hits and a strong pitching performance by Aaron Grasing to top Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 11-3 in the opener of a three-game Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball series on Friday afternoon.
Grasing allowed just one earned run in 7.2 innings of work, scattering five hits and five walks around six strikeouts for his second win of the season.
Offensively, Defiance scored five runs in the sixth inning to pull away and secure the victory. Chris Donese had three hits, including a double, with two RBIs to lead the Yellow Jackets, with Ben Weber and Patrick Masopust also contributing three hits to the performance.
Sophomore Evan Witsken (Granger, Ind./South Bend St. Joseph) came off the bench with two singles to lead the Rose-Hulman offense. Sophomore Donnie Waters (Franklin, Ind.) singled with one run and one RBI, while junior Josh Hoeing (Rushville, Ind.) added a triple.
Defiance led 11-1 after seven innings, before Rose-Hulman scored twice in the eighth to bring the margin closer. Defiance improved to 9-27 overall with the win, while Rose-Hulman stands 21-16 and 14-9 in league play.
The Fightin' Engineers can secure a bid to the HCAC Tournament with one victory at Defiance tomorrow. Other combinations of weekend results could also put Rose-Hulman in next week's conference tourney.
